From my experience, with one bub and watching other mums I am close to, at that age - don't worry about bad habits, do what your baby needs. I did lots of things with DD that others would tell me I was creating a rod for my back - but all I created was a flexible, secure bub (who we could travel around the world with).

DD was exactly the same and then at about 7 weeks she finally realised she could make noises other than scream and would actually lay on a mat/the floor with a toy for 10 minutes while I made a cuppa or something. A sling was awesome because it frees you up to get on with things while still 'cuddling' bub - absolute sanity saver for me.

DD also only even catnapped (I mean REALLY catnapped - 3 x 15mins a day... none of this 45 minute luxury) which I stressed about a lot as by 'the book' she was never getting nearly enough sleep. Life was much better when I stopped stressing, stopped spending half my day trying to get her to go back to sleep, stopped trying to make her go to sleep the milisecond she yawned or pulled her hair, or any other suggestion offered and just accepted that she needed less day sleep than most bubs.

On the flip side I've watched people close to me establish very good nap routines early on with bub self settling at just weeks old, but the routines they needed were often so rigid that the HAD to be home at nap time which, IMO is just as restrictive, if not more, than having a bub attached to you all the time.

Babies & bad habits

I cuddled/rocked/fed by baby to sleep until about 9 months. She's now 15 months and I put her down awake and she self settles fine. She sleeps 12 hours every night and I never have to get up once. Don't listen to anyone telling you you're making a rod for your own back. It's nonsense.

I used to stress about it, wondering if I should be forcing her to self settle. I wish I had just relaxed and enjoyed it. I can't cuddle her to sleep now, she's too busy. Do what ever feels right for you.

I wish the term "bad habits" in regards to wee little babies had never been invented! OP some great advice here, I agree with basically everyone. Oh geeze, 5.5 weeks is so little. Do whatever they need.

My baby is 3 months (corrected; 5 months actual) and he still grizzles when i am not holding him. He prefers to be held constantly and rocked and fed to sleep.

I think babies can become used to being carried around and rocked constantly. I guess i am not sue what the alternative is though. I'm yet to work out a way around this. After many months of living in my pyjamas with a baby attached to my shoulder it can become problematic for my mental health...but I also do not want to jeopardise my babies well being...

Did a previous poster say that babies eventually learn to self soothe and require a bit more independence (not needing to be carried around all of the time)? Oh gawd...when will this happen?

OP, you are not alone...

Is it possible your bub is in pain...ie, reflux etc and therefore more unsettled and clingy?

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i think it's possible babies associate certain activities to sleep. So if we resort to eg rocking and patting, bb will associate that with sleeping. So it may not be them developing a habit after all IFKWIM, more like an association.

Babies & bad habits

I'm pretty sure you can form " bad habits"/certain sleep associations, etc but the earliest I would worry about that would be around 12 weeks. My DS had a strong feed-to-sleep association and I intend not to create the same issue with my next one.

A great book you might like which has excellent tips on settling a newborn is The Happiest Baby on the Block. It's about making bub as secure as possible.

I'm pretty sure you can form " bad habits"/certain sleep associations, etc but the earliest I would worry about that would be around 12 weeks. My DS had a strong feed-to-sleep association and I intend not to create the same issue with my next one.

A great book you might like which has excellent tips on settling a newborn is The Happiest Baby on the Block. It's about making bub as secure as possible.

What do you mean by feed to sleep? Bottle fed then sleep? Or boob fed then sleep? I thought most babies will feed then sleep? Which baby goes to sleep without a full comfy tummy? I am confused.

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Babies & bad habits

Originally Posted by MummaOJ

To me, feed to sleep means your baby falls asleep while feeding and stays asleep when you transfer them to their cot.

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This. When so young, it's normal for this to happen (in fact normal at many ages) the only time it could be a 'problem' (to some parents, but not others) is when they hit the 4 month sleep regression. If they feed to sleep once they awaken after their first sleep cycle at night they may need a feed to get to sleep many times throughout the night.

Some babies don't go through the 4 month sleep regression and others won't wake numerous times a night if fed to sleep after this age, as we all know, every baby is different!